preatka



May 26, 1931.

J. PREATKA AEROPLANE Filed Sept. 11, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 193i UNITEo STATE JOSEPH PREATKA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

.AEROPLANE Application filed September 11, 1930. Serial No. 481,295.

The present invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an aeroplane, wherein the aerofoils 5 or Wings not only serve as the means of sustentation but as auxiliary means of propulsion, supplementing the action of the usual propeller or propellers.

A further object of the invention is to combine with the aerofoils auxiliary aerofoils, which are actuated in unison with the main aerofoils and considerably increase the sustaining power of the latter. I

A further object of the invention is to so connect the propellers and the said aerofoils with the motor of the aeroplane that the said propellers and aerofoils may be either actuated simultaneously or independently of one.

another, at will.

A still further object of the invention is tomount the fuselage of the aeroplane upon an undercarriage provided with two axles, each having the usual wheels mounted thereon, and to provide a driving connection between the said wheels and the motor of the aeroplane, which driving connection is adapted to be rendered operative or inoperative, at will as required.

With these and other objects in view, which will more fully appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the combination, arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be made in the size and proportion of the several parts and details of construction within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. a

One of the many possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 45 Figure 1 is a side elevation of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; and Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the fuselage or body of the aeroplane, having long stream-lines, as usual in constructions of this type, to present as little resistance to the air as possible. This fuselage is mounted upon an undercarriage or landing gear, ineluding a pair of front wheels 11 which are secured to an axle 12, and a pair of rear wheels 13, the latter being fixed to an axle 14.. From the landing gear, enclosing the fuselage, rises a tower-like frame 15 that is quadrangular in transverse CIOSSSGCUOII, as

clearly appears from the several figures of the drawings. This tower-like frame comprises,

generally speaking, four vertically corner- U posts 16, connected at their top by a cover 17 and adjacent the bottom portion of the fuse lage by longitudinally extending side rails 18 and front and rear transverse rails 19. To

each longitudinal edge of the cover 17 is connected by a horizontally extending longitudinal hinge 20 an aerofoil or wing 21, and to each longitudinal rail 18 is similarly connected by a hinge 22 an aerofoil or wing 23. All

of these wingsextend longitudinally of the tower and are actuated in a manner hereinafter to be described by a motor 24 of any suitable construction, the said motor being disposed in the fuselage, as usual in constructions of this type. In parallel relation to the corner-posts 16 are fixed to the cover 17 and to the longitudinal rails 18, above referred .to, guides 25. Each guide on each side of the tower comprises properly spaced rails, designated by the numerals 26, 27 and 28. 'On each central rail 27 is oscillatably mounted, about midway between the cover 17 and the respective longitudinalrail 18, a spindle 29. To each ofthese spindles isfixed a pinion 30, meshing ondiametrically opposite points thereof with racks 31 and 32, which are reciprocatably disposed between the respective central guide rail 27 and the outer rails 26 and, 28 co-operating with the said central guide rail. To the racks 32 is fixed above the cover 17 a curved. wing 33, and to the racks 31 is attached below the fuselage a. curved wing 34. Adjacent the pinions 30 is secured to each rack 31- a block 35 and to each rack 32a block 36, the. said blocks being disposed between the inner guide rails 27 and the outer guide rails 26 and 28. lVith each block 35 is connected by means of a rod 37 one of the upper wings 21; and to each block 36 is connected by means of a. rod 38 one of the lower wings 23, said rods being pivotally connected with the said blocks and wings. By oscillating the pinions 30, the upper and lower wings 21 and 23 are caused to move around their hinges 20 and 22, respectively, in opposite directions, and the wings 33 and are moved up and down, but always in opposite directions.

A driving connection is provided between the crank-shaft of the motor 24 and the pinions 30. F or this purpose there is rigidly fixed to each spindle 29 a lever 39, provided with two longitudinal slots 40 in which are seated pins 41 on the blocks and 36 cooperating with the respective pinion 30. Each lever is connected. by a link 42 with a crank 43 on a transversely extending shaft 44. Two of these shafts are provided in alignment with one another, and each of the same has mounted thereon a bevel gear 45, meshing with a similar gear 46 on the motor crankshaft 17. The shafts 4-4 are properly journaled, and with each is associated a clutch mechanism 48 for connecting and disconnecting the same with and from the motor shaft,

The two clutch mechanisms are connected,

in a manner not shown, to simultaneously connect or disconnect, at will the shafts 4A- with and from the motor crank-shaft.

In front of the tower are mounted two propellers 49, each on a propeller shaft 50, the said shafts being suitably journaled in bearings 51. Each of the propeller shafts carries a bevel gear 52, in mesh with a similar gear 53, the gears 53 being mounted upon a transversely extending shaft 54:, suitably journaled in bearings On the shaft 54 are formed two cranks 56, each of which is connected by a rod 57 with a crank 58 on a crank-shaft 59. The last-mentioned crank-shaft carries a bevel gear 60, in mesh with a similar gear 61 on the motor crank-shaft 47. A. suitable clutch 62 is provided on the crank-shaft 59 to connect and disconnect the same with and from the motor crank-shaft 47.

On the motor crank-shaft 47 is furthermore mounted a bevel gear 63, in mesh with a similar gear 64 on the transversely extending shaft 65, which is suitably journaled in bearings 56. This shaft is adapted to be connected and disconnected with and from the motor crank-shaft by means of a suitable clutch 67. The shaft 65 is provided with two cranks 68, each of which is connected by a rod 69 with a crank 70 on the rear axle 14c of the undercarriage of the aeroplane. This shaft is furthermore provided with two cranks 71, each of which is connected by a rod 7 2 with a crank 73 on the front axle 12 of the said undercarriage.

The rudders 74: and their connections with the actuating mechanism in the fuselage have been shown diagrammatically only as their construction is well understood and does not form part of the present invention. No attempt has been made to show other necessary parts of an aeroplane, as they do not form part of the invention.

The operation of the aeroplane is as follows: Assuming that the elements of the machine are in the position shown in the several figures of the drawings, in which all clutches are in inoperative positions, as shown in Fig. 3, it is obvious that the propellers, aerofoils and wheels of the running gear are all at a full stop, even if the motor were running. The flight is started as follows: First, the clutch '67 is shifted to connect the wheels of the undercarriage with the motor. The aeroplane is thus propelled on the ground, the steering means being actuated for directing the course of the machine while on the ground. The clutches l8 and 62 are then thrown in, whereby the propellers and aerofoils are actuated so that the machine will rise from the ground after thehorizontal rudders thereof have been placed in the proper position. It is also possible to start the machine from the ground without first running along the ground. This is accomplished by connecting the aerofoils 21, 23, 33 and 34; with the motor. When these aerofoils are actuated, the machine rises from the ground in the manner of a helicopter. During the flight the wheels 11 and 13 are disconnected from the motor, and either the propellers or the aerofoils, or both of these elements may be connected with the motor, according to the requirements. The aerofoils, when actuated in the manner above described, act as the sustentation and propulsion means with or without the propellers. When the propellers are actuated, they do in no way interfere with the propelling properties of the aerofoils. When the machine is in flight, the propellers may be stopped, whenever desired. This is essential in view of the fact that it may become necessary to conceal the position of the machine in the air, which obviously could not be done when the propellers are turning. Whenever the propellers are stopped in flight, the aerofoils act, as above described, as sustentation and propelling means. The speed of the aeroplane, however, is materially reduced in such case, the aerofoils causing an ascent and descent of the aeroplane in practically a verticaldirection. Due to this fact, it is possible to rise from the ground and also to descend, even if the flying field is exceedingly small.

lVhat I claim is 1. A11 aeroplane comprising a wheeled undercarriage, a tower-like frame rising therefrom, a fuselage mounted on said frame, two pairs of aerofolls hinged to said frame, means for causing the aerofoils of one pair to swing iii continuously in a direction opposite to those of the other pair, two propellers rotatably mounted on said frame, a motor,a driving connection between said propellers and said motor, a driving connection between said aerofoil actuating means and said motor, and clutches inserted into said connections whereby the said aerofoils and motors may be actuated independently of one another or together, at will.

2. An aeroplane according to claim 1, comprising a driving connection between said motor and the wheels of said undercarriage, and a clutch in said driving connection for connecting and disconnecting, at will, said wheels with and from said motor.

3. An aeroplane according to claim 1, comprising a wing reciprocatably mounted above said tower-like frame, a wing similarly I mounted on said frame below said fuselage,

said wings being connected with said'aerofoil actuating means to continuously reciprocate in opposite directions when said aerofoils are being operated.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 8th day of September, A. D. 1930.

JOSEPH PREATKA. 

